Trump Floats U.S. Government Ownership Stake in Major AI Companies to Make Americans 'Rich'

Jun 08, 2026
Axios
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Summary

President Trump is floating a plan for the U.S. government to take a small ownership stake in major AI companies, framing it as a 'partnership with the American public' that could make Americans 'rich' while boosting AI's popularity and maintaining America's competitive edge over China.

Key Points

  • President Trump is floating the idea of the U.S. government taking a small ownership stake in major AI companies, calling it a potential 'partnership with the American public' that could make Americans 'rich'.
  • The concept, backed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and recently reignited by Sen. Bernie Sanders' proposal for a 50% one-time stock tax, centers on creating a public wealth fund with industry insiders favoring smaller 1-5% stakes.
  • Trump believes giving Americans a financial stake in AI giants would boost the technology's popularity, as AI remains broadly unpopular in the U.S., while also maintaining America's lead over China in the AI race.

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